Stew for an Explosion Lover's Soul
by Peacockpants
Summary: A very deadly, yet very familiar, character has overthrown Zuko. He's powerful, quiet, and feisty. He is Combustion Man, as you have never seen him before.


The wind whistled past his ears and over his bald head. The setting sun warmed his face on which he wore a solemn, yet pleased, expression. The haze over the Fire Nation absorbed the sunlight and took on a warm hue. He breathed a satisfied sigh through his nose while maintaining a straight face. He had finally reached his life long goal of becoming Fire Lord. He reflected upon the events that had brought him to this magnificent moment.

Three months ago in the early morning, he had calmly walked up to the gates of the Fire Lords palace. As the guards approached him to ask what his business with Fire Lord Zuko, he inhaled sharply through his nose, leaned back, and released a hefty blast from his forehead that blew the palace gates to rubble. He ran through the destroyed gate into the center of the court yard and proceeded to blast all around him. He continued into the palace where he leaped into the air and released a blast that trapped Zuko in his thrown. He landed the leap with grace and was so pleased with his work so far that he did many pirouettes over to Zuko. Zuko did not look pleased with his ballet performance and in his boiling rage, he prepared a blast aimed at Zuko, but stopped abruptly when he spotted Zukos crown. He ripped the crown from Zuko's head and placed it on his own, exhaling sharply from his nose to show his joy. But then he heard the crown clatter to the floor. In irritation he picked it up and held it on his head and ordered the nearest cowering servant to fetch some tape. Securing the crown to his head with the tape, he began turning slowly with his eyes closed, basking in all his glory. He had single handedly overthrown Fire Lord Zuko. He had fulfilled his destiny. He had become... Fire Lord Combustion man.

As he walked through his newly constructed palace, he admired the artist work of the finest sculptors in the Fire Nation. Large sculptures standing 50 feet tall stood depicting combustion man in all his glory. One showed him releasing a blast from his forehead, the explosion made out of floating rocks that he made earth benders hold in place at all times. _These statues really rock. Haha. Get it? Rock?_ He started to chuckle at his own joke, quickly giving way to uncontrollable laughter. His loud, boisterous laugh resounded through the palace. He began to blast the ceiling in his fit of laughter. Chunks of ceiling began to fall around him. He stopped blasting and laughing and let the dust clear, then he composed himself and walked away from the mess like it never happened.

He sauntered out the front doors of his palace. He turned to face the palace, taking a firm stance with his fists placed on his hips. He watched as the room he was previously blasting the ceiling of caved in completely. He turned to a timid, quaking servant who was also watching the room collapse. With a sharp, deep inhale, Fire Lord Combustion Man blasted at the servant's feet. The servant, startled by the abruptness of the action, jumped and ran to find the contractor.

"F-Fire Lord Combustion Man", another servant meekly called, "Th-There's someone here to see you."

The Fire Lord slowly swiveled his upper body toward the meek servant, his pre-blast expression frozen on his face. He inhaled sharply and held the breath in with his head cocked back, but his eyes were still locked with the servant's. The servant decided to perceive his action as a question.

"I-It's the cabbage vendor."

Fire Lord Combustion Man then made an expression no one had ever thought possible for him to make. His head slowly tilted down, eyes still locked with the servant, and a large, toothless smile spread across his face. He then turned his attention to the front gate where the cabbage vendor was strolling through with his cart of magnificent cabbages. The Fire Lord approached the stack of tempting green leafery and selected the greenest one. He inhaled the aroma of the leafy vegetable sharply, leaning back with his whole body the way he does before he releases a blast. He slowly straightened his body and a satisfied grin spread across his face. He turned his attention to the vendor once again and his usual stone cold expression replaced his fleeting grin. With a sharp inhale and nod, he took the cart with the cabbages and left the vendor screaming, "MY CABBAGES!".

Fire Lord Combustion Man walked swiftly into his bathroom with his cabbages and locked the door. He put his back against the door, breathing a sigh of content and slowly sliding down the door. _At last_. He spun his way over to the bath tub and started running the water, boiling hot. He leaped over to his favorite ash scented bubble bath and poured the rest of it into the tub. He snapped on his shower cap and settled into the tub. For the final touch, he gently blasted the cabbage cart, causing it to lurch and catapult the cabbages into the tub. A tear of pure and utter euphoria slowly trickled down his cheek and landed on a cabbage floating by him. And then, a legendary event occurred: Fire Lord Combustion Man said his first words.

"Finally. My true life-long dream has come true. I am Fire Lord stew."

These words were his first and last, due to his lack of vocal cord usage. Though his words were spoken in private, Fire Lord Combustion Man did not view these words as wasted. The cabbages were there to listen. He felt completely safe and un-judged in the presence of the leafy spheres. After his bath, he blasted every last cabbage to bits. He did not want to have witnesses of his most vulnerable moment to exist. His secret stew baths could never be learned about. The Fire Lord vowed to take his secret to his grave.

He went out to his balcony and placed both his hands on the railing. He breathed a sorrowful sigh. _Cabbages... can not be trusted._


End file.
